A Love Letter to the “Overly Sensitive”

Dear Sensitive Kid, 

I know you feel out of place a lot. You look around and wonder how everyone else seems to get it, and know what to do, but you don't. Your teacher says the class can have extra recess time if they finish the worksheet, and all the other kids cheer, but you panic inside. Recess is overwhelming for you, because everyone talks, and plays, and screams, but you don't have anyone to talk to, and you don't know what to, and you feel painfully aware. So you sit and play in the sand, until you discover books. 

When you read your books, you escape, you have deep attachments to fictional characters, you feel seen and understood. You feel less alone. You begin to bring a book to recess and lunch. Some kids make fun of you for reading on the playground. You don't care; you're not even in the same world as them when you're reading. You read under your desk during class. The teachers say you read when you're not supposed to be reading, that you read too much. Don't stop reading. You'll lose it, but then you'll find it again later. Books were always your first love. Don't let them tell you that you're doing it wrong. Keep reading, it'll make you a good writer. Keep reading, it'll open your world. 

Dear Sensitive Teenager, 

I know you romanticize life, and that's beautiful. You see teenagers on TV shows and movies, having big groups of friends, having love lives. You wonder if there's something wrong with you because you don't have that. There isn't. You want to be loved, and you want to be a part of things, so sometimes you laugh along when they make you the butt of the joke for being too sensitive. You think, maybe, if you can be unproblematic, and easy-going, and just try not to be "too sensitive" like they tell you, then maybe you can be worthy of love. You're wrong. You're already worthy of love as you are. At one point, someone told you that you weren't. They lied to you. 

Dear Sensitive Adult, 

I know you don't feel understood a lot of the time. You take on the pain of others. You would rather cause yourself discomfort than to cause even the slightest burden to someone else. Sometimes you still laugh along when they make you the butt of the joke. You don't want to upset anyone. You keep the peace. For a long time, you thought your needs weren't as important as everyone else's. You were wrong. 

You deeply feel every injustice all over the world. First you're saddened, then you're angered. Why isn't everyone else upset? Are they not paying attention? How could they say you're just being too sensitive, when pain is everywhere, and you feel all of it? It's a beautiful thing to feel the pain of others. Beautiful and heavy. You've carried it for so long you don't even notice the weight of it anymore. Despite everyone telling you to stop being so sensitive, you've remained sensitive, vulnerable, and soft. That's beautiful! How did you do it? The empathy that some have to be taught came as naturally to you as breathing. You can't help but feel as much as you do. 

You're not too sensitive, some people are just not sensitive enough. Not everyone has the gift of empathy. You will use it to guide you through your life. If you hurt someone, or make a mistake, you will take accountability for it. Your sensitivity is your greatest gift. One day, you'll learn to treat yourself with the sensitivity you give others. You will learn that your pain has great depth, but your joy knows no bounds. You feel deep pain, but when you experience joy, your skin buzzes with it. 

You get your heart strings pulled on a lot. You will cry at videos of people reuniting in airports. You will try to help causes you believe in. You'll believe people when they share their pain. You'll take people at face value. Sometimes, you'll believe in the wrong people. Learn from this, but don't stop believing people. You'll get hurt, but you'll also love so much. One day, someone will be so delicate with your heart. One day, you'll find the people who don't tell you you're being too sensitive. 

There's more of us sensitive people out here, and we are looking for you just as much as you've been looking for us. Just keep being sensitive, and we'll find eachother.